Will you miss not seeing the Class 1A Division II state high school basketball championships being hosted at Gross Memorial Coliseum on the campus of Fort Hays State University this year? (FHSU and KSHSAA has decided to relocate this year's tournament to Dodge City since the FHSU women have the possibility of hosting an NCAA Division II regional tourney.)

Hays High’s program has had an exponential rise in recent years, and Drylie has been at the center of it.

Drylie was just 17-15 as a freshman and finished 38-3 this season, and earned the runner-up medal in Class 5A at 220 pounds.

Two of his losses came at the hands of 5A state champion Wichita/Kapaun-Mt. Carmel Luke Bean (43-0) and the other to 3-2-1A state runner-up Riley Oharah, who Drylie later beat.

“In any other weight class, he is probably a state champion,” Hafliger said. “He just happened to be against probably one of the best wrestlers in all weight classes and all classifications in the state.”

Drylie’s development has been right on pace with the program’s.

Three years ago, the Indians sent 12 wrestlers to state and had just one medalist. Last year, Hays High qualified 11 and had five medalists.

This year, the Indians qualified nine with five medalists, which included state champion junior 170-pounder Preston Weigel and state runner-up Drylie at 220 pounds.

Drylie and Hafliger said Drylie’s progressive success was a result of heavy training and wrestling during the summer.

“He put in the time he needed to become the great wrestler that he had become his senior year,” Hafliger said.
Drylie, who said he also considered Fort Hays State University, said he chose Colby Community College because he liked the coach and the campus.